Eat, Brains, Love

September 2, 2013
Debut author Hart brings a sympathetic voice to the zombie phenomenon in this offbeat adventure, which combines romance and road trips with government agents, conspiracies, and gore-filled feeding frenzies. Stoner Jake Stephens and cheerleader Amanda Blake unexpectedly “necrotize” at lunchtime; by the time they’re done and have come to their senses, dozens of classmates are dead. Naturally, they flee. On the run from the secret Necrotic Control Division, they are faced with fellow zombies, human predators, their horrible hunger for flesh, and an unexpected romantic connection. Meanwhile, teenage psychic Cass is tracking them telepathically for the NCD, but the longer she stays connected, the more she questions her supervisors and their shadowy agenda. Alternating perspectives and a fast-paced plot keep the story moving as Hart fleshes out his world with memorable supporting characters and a premise that hints at a much larger picture. (Is Iowa completely lost?) The body count is predictably high, with corresponding visceral details, but Hart balances it out with touches of humor and teenage self-awareness. A Full Fathom Five property. Ages 13–up.

September 15, 2013
Slacker Jake and beautiful high-achiever Amanda find themselves unlikely allies when they both turn zombie in the cafeteria of Ronald Reagan High School and eat most of their friends. They leave the carnage behind and light out together, just steps ahead of the Necrotic Control Division, the top-secret military unit that seeks to control the zombie threat and conceal it from the general populace. The NCD's secret weapon is Cass, a teenage psychic who can survey the devastation and telepathically track down zombies. But in Jake's case, she finds herself, bizarrely, falling for him. Hart's sexually transmitted zombie virus doesn't permanently necrotize its victims; regular helpings of human flesh (rats or other animals will do in a pinch) help them heal from catastrophic injuries and seem normal--until it's time to eat again. Jake and Cass alternate narration, Jake's convincingly teenage, profanity-laced voice describing his increasing attachment to Amanda despite her rotten taste in music, and Cass' revealing a lonely, isolated girl increasingly questioning the morality of her mission. Once readers decide to accept both a zombie virus and telepathy, they're in for one hell of a road trip, one that's funny, gross and scary in equal, alternating measures. What will they find in zombie-controlled Iowa? Readers will be slavering for the sequel to find out. (Horror. 14 & up)

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October 1, 2013

Gr 9 Up-A loner and a bit of a derelict, Jake is not your typical high school student. His ideal day is playing Call of Duty-type games on Xbox. But all that changes when he turns into a zombie in the school cafeteria and consumes his best friend and many members of the senior class. When he becomes human again, he finds himself allied with the most unlikely partner-Amanda Blake. A popular and gorgeous cheerleader, she has never given Jake the time of day. Realizing that they need each other to survive as zombies, Jake and Amanda try to retain their humanity while searching for answers or a possible cure. To complicate matters, they are being hunted by a top-secret government organization that uses teen psychics to locate zombies. Cass, one of the psychics, finds herself sympathizing with Jake and Amanda's situation while discovering that members of this organization are involved in experiments that Cass considers unethical and immoral. Told from alternating chapters by Jake and Cass, Hart's action-packed plot is full of suspense and humor. Although some characters seem superficial and stereotypical, readers can't help but identify with their struggles, their principles, and, most importantly, their humanity. A captivating first installment that leaves fans eagerly awaiting its sequel.-Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2013
Grades 9-12 One day Jake is a happy, video-game-playing stoner struggling to complete his House of Mirth presentation for English class, and the next, he is an undead fugitive on the run from government agents bent on neutralizing the threathim. It's not all bad. At least he's in the company of Amanda, one of the most popular and beautiful girls in school, even if she is a zombie as well, and she, like Jake, ate a ton of their classmates when they first turned. Meanwhile, Cass, the youngest and most powerful telepath in the Necrotic Control Division, is proving herself instrumental in hunting down Jake and Amanda. But their psychic signatures make Cass wonder how far gone all zombies truly are. Though not a precise parody of Elizabeth Gilbert's Eat, Pray, Love (2006), the book features characters shambling toward personal identity in sweet, funny, and incisive ways. The process of zombification, the search for safety, and even Cass' psychic abilities are well defined through skilled world building. Zombie fans will find this debut full of (undead) heart.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)